Yesterday, after word got out (via a post here on the Foundry) regarding new “mandatory fees” on Christmas trees imposed by the Obama Department of Agriculture (USDA), the White House moved quickly to suspend implementation of the new tax. The fees, which were supported by an industry group called the Christmas Tree Check-off Task Force, were earmarked for industry marketing efforts. USDA’s role was to make sure that all growers helped pay for those efforts, whether they supported them or not. Those growers, at least for now, have been given …
Today marks the 236th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. oldest military service: The U.S. Marine Corps. Older than the United States itself, the Marines are the quintessential incarnation of the best of the American spirit. For more than 200 years, the USMC has defined the standards of courage, spirit, and military prowess. The Heritage Foundation is honored to commemorate the birthday of this great brotherhood. President Ronald Reagan said (1985): “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the Marines …
Legislators at all levels face a challenge in making sure that their legislation and policies represent good governance which utilizes reason, common sense and first principles. Some common sense goals of politicians should be to limit the control of the government over individuals, allow flexibility for bureaucrats to meet measurable results and to terminate programs that fail to meet their stated goals. If politicians could employ some simple criteria, the government would work in a manner more consistent with the consent of the governed. Below is a good, yet not …
According to press reports, fighting between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the al-Qaeda linked terrorist unit known as the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has erupted in the last few weeks. In response to a spate of deadly attacks in recent weeks by various insurgent groups, some of which harbor ASG militants, the AFP has launched an extensive operation against the terrorist group on Sulu island involving both air strikes and ground assaults. Their primary target is the ASG leader Umbra Jumdail, also known as Dr. Abu Pula. …
Expel U.S. ambassadors from your country, accuse the U.S. of plotting coups and trying to destabilize your country, and cozy up to Iran, and what do you receive from the Obama Administration? An “Oops, we’re sorry! We’ll try to do better next time.” Ecuador’s temperamental President Rafael Correa has often accused the U.S. of plotting against him, especially after he mishandled a domestic police strike in September 2010. In April 2011, he expelled U.S. Ambassador Heather Hodges following the release of a WikiLeaks cable he considered offensive. The cable pointed …
Cuba—to listen to, watch or read some of the media—is a place that has remained unbowed in the face of impoverishment by the U.S. embargo. Lately what you hear is that it is attempting to make bold reforms not just in the economy, but socially as well (it just allowed gays to marry!) The people still dance. Only that the reality of Cuba bears little resemblance to the plucky little island narrative. Cuba’s penury has nothing to do with the U.S. decision not to trade with the communist island, but …
Christmas is more than a month away, but the Obama Administration just couldn’t wait to hang a shiny new ornament on every fresh Christmas tree in America: a 15-cent tax to support a new federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees. Following a public outcry, the White House changed course, not a day later. No, it’s not a joke. Heritage Vice President David Addington broke the story Tuesday night on Foundry.org, writing that in the Federal Register of November 8, it was announced that the Secretary of Agriculture …
“Occupy Wall Street” protesters claim to be fighting for the disenfranchised members of Main Street America. But their protests are exacting a significant toll on businesses in the cities where they have set up camp. Oakland has been hit hardest. A week after “Occupy” protesters there rioted, vandalizing local businesses and clashing with police, city merchants say their sales are down by as much as 60 percent. “People don’t want to come downtown,” one business owner near the epicenter of the city’s protests told Mercury News. “Things were good before the protests …
Even without Obamacare, the United States faces rising health care costs and an economy struggling to recover from the recent downturn. Despite its supporters’ promises, the health care law does not solve these problems. A study released today by the National Federation of Independent Business highlights the impact of Obamacare’s new health insurance tax alone on Americans’ health care costs and the health of the economy. Obamacare institutes a premium tax on health insurers that offer full coverage beginning in 2014. Before it became law, Heritage expert Edmund Haislmaier wrote …
Vague platitudes, rather than meaningful solutions, dominated last week’s international conference on Afghanistan held in Turkey’s capital, Istanbul. Conference participants, including Pakistan, Iran, India, China, and Russia, broadly affirmed their support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. But for countries like Pakistan that continue to support Afghan insurgents at the expense of stability in the country, the declarations seem empty. And in Iran’s case, the real objective is to minimize Western involvement for the advancement of its own regional agenda. Despite the 2014 deadline for U.S. and …
